


Take My Hand

by Liara_90



Category: RWBY
Genre: Blind Character, Dating, Developing Relationship, Double Dating, F/M, Falling In Love, First Kiss, Friendship, POV Third Person, Post-Volume 2 (RWBY), Racism, Romance, Stargazing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-23
Updated: 2016-05-27
Packaged: 2018-06-10 08:01:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 13,626
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6946696
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Liara_90/pseuds/Liara_90
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They'd both spent enough time being undesirable to be forever weary of the world. They fell in love anyways.</p><p>The romance of Velvet Scarlatina and Fox Alistair, told in five parts.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Best Kind of Trouble

**Author's Note:**

  * For [lydia_rogue](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lydia_rogue/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Would You Still Love Me?](https://archiveofourown.org/works/4997833) by [lydia_rogue](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lydia_rogue/pseuds/lydia_rogue). 



" _A round of shots for every Huntress in the bar_!"

Velvet winced a little at the jubilant cheers that followed, at the shouts of excitement and boisterous cries of drunken revelers. Normally her second set of ears didn't give her too many problems - problems besides flagging her as a Faunus, of course - but between the pounding beat of the music and the cacophony of a dozen conversations being shouted over it, Velvet was beginning to get a little overwhelmed.

She went against the current, pushing through the crush of bodies making their way to the bar in the hopes of finding a pocket of space for herself. She wasn't claustrophobic - most of her childhood had been spent in one overcrowded building or another - but people became unpredictable in crowds, and doubly so while imbibed. She'd spent most of her life avoiding exactly these kinds of settings, when lowered inhibitions and a posse of friends might push a human to do something they'd only ever fantasized about…

It was unfair - that she should feel so nervous on a day celebrating everything special about her - but she had too many memories to change that feeling anytime soon. Today was the Feast of Youloumain - at least by the new calendar - though for most the 'feast' referred entirely to pub grub and beers. Traditionally, it was a day commemorating Huntsmen and Huntresses and their struggles against the Grimm, albeit one that was mostly an excuse to say a few nice words about the long-deceased and then down a celebratory pint. But with the 'Breach' - as everybody had taken to calling the surprise Grimm attack in central Vale - still fresh in everyone's minds, the festivities seemed to have been kicked up a frantic notch.

"Not taking the free drink?"

Velvet glanced wordlessly at Fox, wondering for the _umpteenth_ time how he knew it was her. Over the past year she'd learned most of his tricks for identifying people - their gait, their perfume, the 'feel' of their Aura - though how he'd picked her out of a crowded, deafening bar was still beyond her.

"Never been one for drinking in public," she admitted, raising her voice slightly to be heard above whatever Achieve Men club remix was being blasted. "And besides, my Father always warned me about accepting drinks from strangers," she said. A grin crossed her face as she caught a glimpse Yang Xiao Long's blonde hair and muscled arms bouncing in the dance floor's sea of humanity. _Not hers, evidently_. "You?"

Fox grunted. "You've seen how clumsy I am _sober_ , no need to pour gasoline on the fire. Or liquor."

Velvet smiled at that, leaning against her teammate so he could feel her gentle pressure on him. "You're not _that_ clumsy."

Another grunt, though this one had a contemplative note to it. It was true that he moved about far better than most other people with a near-complete absence of vision. Being a Huntsman demanded no less. Rooms and crowds he could navigate well-enough, in the close quarters of a chaotic mêlée the disadvantage seemed at most a minor inconvenience, even less so when he was following the cues of his team. It was mostly the small things that still tripped him up - misjudging the distance of a pen on his desk, stubbing his toe on a carelessly placed textbook. Were it not for his Aura he'd have been covered in a patchwork quilt of scrapes and bruises.

"That was my polite way of saying," Fox began, careful to keep his tone flat, "that I think you and I avoid drinking for the same reason."

In his own admittedly-fairly-limited-experiences, people tended to react to losing their vision in one of two ways. Option A was to open up, to throw yourself out there and trust that humanity on the whole was more benevolent than not. He knew a few people who went through life that way, and some part of the back of his mind was happy that they could make it work. Option _B_ , conversely, was to clam up, to withdraw, to try to hold on to whatever shreds of control you still had and guard them jealously.

Fox's thumb idly traced one of the scars running up his bicep. He certainly wasn't the _first_ type.

"Where's Coco?" he asked, after the silence between them had grown just a little too long. Velvet scanned the crowd with eyes honed by years in the field.

"Other side of the bar, in one of the booths," she answered, a few seconds later. "She's with Weiss Schnee. Both have martinis."

"' _Girl talk_ '," supplied Fox, though the mockery in his voice was mostly feigned. Knowing those two, they were probably swapping notes on hostile takeover strategies. "Yatsu?"

 _Much_ easier to spot. "At the bar, between Xiao Long and Nora Valkyrie - the short girl from JNPR. He's either refereeing a drinking competition or trying to keep them from killing each other." She squinted. "Possibly both."

"…Do you want to leave?"

They spoke the same words at the same time, their voices crossing over. Then they stared at one another. Or at least, Velvet stared at Fox, and Fox glanced at what he was _pretty_ sure was Velvet's eyeline. Velvet giggled.

"They seem to be having a good time," she noted, even if Yatsuhashi was looking more haggard by the minute. Still, he was _born_ to play the older brother, and first years made such unruly siblings. "I'd feel bad to spoil their fun."

"Yeah," murmured Fox in agreement, glossing over the fact that they'd both been willing to do exactly that moments ago. He shuffled slightly. "Wanna just slip out for a few minutes?"

"Sure," said Velvet, glancing around the room. "There's a back door by the washrooms, I think it's a shortcut."

"I'll take your word for it," replied Fox, deferring to her judgment in a building unfamiliar to him.

Velvet surveyed the thronging masses between _here_ and _there_. "Take my hand?"

They were familiar words, part of a ritual Team CFVY had created in the trial-and-error of their first weeks together. Fox required physical guidance far less than most blind men, and in an environment like Beacon he was twice as unwilling to be seen needing it. So when he really _did_ need someone physically directing him, when sound and memory alone would not suffice, they'd settled on holding hands as the best course of action. Yatsuhashi actually _did_ know the accepted technique for guiding the visually impaired, but Fox refused point-blank to remain a half-step behind Yatsu with his hand around the swordsman's arm. But he couldn't really complain about being lead by the hand. Such a method would have been unsafe in most cases, but even blind Fox's balance and reflexes were to the extreme right of the bell curve, and his powerful Aura meant he didn't have to fear a sprained ankle or a bruised arm.

 _That_ , and so long as it was Coco or Velvet doing the hand-holding, it was a hell of a lot more discreet.

Fox hesitated for just a fraction of a second. He'd told his teammates time and time again that if he was taking too long to get somewhere they should just give him a _yank_ in the right direction. And they all _did_ , with varying degrees of comfort - mostly Coco when he spent too long groping about for misplaced toiletries - but Velvet never missed the way he tensed up at unexpected contact.

Fox uncrossed one arm a moment later, leaving his hand outstretched as if formally asking for a dance. Velvet took it with a wry grin and a moment later they were off, threading through sweaty bodies like snakes in the grass. Transposition Semblances might have been one-in-a-million, but _bloody hell_ would Velvet have appreciated one right then.

They stepped out into a back alley a minute later, even the miasma of a nearby dumpster doing nothing to diminish the crispness of the evening air. When Velvet forgot to release his hand Fox slipped it from hers, reflexively. Only belatedly did he consider an alternative explanation for her extended hand-holding, followed immediately by an unanticipated pang of regret.

If Velvet was at all disquieted or disappointed, he couldn't tell. "Oh, that's _much_ better," she breathed, massaging the base of her more prominent set of ears. Her voice sounded like she'd just slipped into a hot tub. "Too loud."

"Much too loud," agreed Fox. Sheer volume didn't hurt him the way it did Velvet, but the disorienting effect of a sonic assault was unpleasant enough in its own right.

He heard Velvet's footsteps a few feet away, the light patter of leather shoes on pavement. He trailed behind her, almost unthinkingly.

"The Feast of Youloumain, eh?" mused Velvet, once the ringing in her ears had largely subsided. "You know the whole legend behind it is actually pretty horrifying by today's standards."

"Can't say I ever learned it," replied Fox. It wasn't an uncommon response. Books in Braille had been a scarce commodity in his childhood.

"In the _original_ story there's this Huntsman named - ah, _Dust_ , what was his name again? Oscar-something? 'Youloumain' actually refers to the King, by the way. Anyways, in the story this Huntsman, or proto-Huntsman, is trying to woo the King's daughter, only she's having none of it because she thinks he's unwashed and crude and an all-around pompous _arse_. Only one day the Grimm attack the Kingdom, and it turns out there's only _one_ Huntsman who can save them." Velvet's hands curled into fists of righteous anger. "So he slays all the Grimm, and everyone is incredibly thankful, and King Youloumain has a big feast for whatever-his-name-is. And at the end of the feast, _drum roll please_ …" Velvet glanced over her shoulder, scowling at the lack of participation from the audience. "The King gives his daughter to the Huntsman as a reward!"

"Isn't that the plot of a kids movie?" asked Fox.

Velvet snorted. "Yup, only the highest-grossing animated movie of all time. _Amazing_ soundtrack. Though I couldn't help but notice that they left out the part where the King's daughter is tied to a chair and hoisted to the bedroom by a band of rapist-enablers."

 _Splash_. Velvet's foot hit a shallow puddle a few feet in front of Fox. He sidestepped it a moment later.

"Feast of Youloumain! Thanks for saving us from the Grimm! Now take your pick of probably-underage women for non-consensual bedroom-"

 _Thung_.

Velvet spun around, turning to face Fox, who was now rubbing his head with a gloved hand. " _Ow_." His Aura had effectively dampened the collision's impact, but it was jarring all the same.

"Did you just… walk into a fire escape ladder?" While her first instinct would normally have been to rush to anyone else's side, Velvet had long ago learned that Fox preferred to deal with his stumbles by himself.

"Is that what this is?" Fox's hand reached out, fingers curling around the lowest rung of a ladder attached to the wall. "You trying to get me killed, Velvs?"

She scoffed, both at his insinuation and his appropriation of Coco's nickname for her. (Well, _one_ of them, at least). " _I_ was strolling down the middle of the alley. Remnant knows why _you_ were walking pressed up against the wall."

"You stepped in a puddle," Fox offered, still not moving. His fingers strummed the rung. "This ladder go anywhere?"

Velvet glanced up. "Rooftop of the bar we were just in, I'd wager. Or one of the adjacent shops."

"Wanna take a look?"

Velvet rolled her eyes at his choice of words. "Ha- _ha_. I presume that's private property, Fox."

" _Mm_." With a short hop he grasped the ladder, pulling himself up in one fluid motion. "But it's the day where Huntsmen do as they please, remember?"

"We're going to get in trouble!" she called out, as he continued to ascend.

"I just want to wander around," Fox shouted back, leaning slightly over the lip of the building. "Don't worry, I'm sure I'll find all the edges by myself."

" _Arsehole_ ," mumbled Velvet, sighing heavily. Glancing around to make sure nobody was watching - she'd jumped out of airships with less apprehension than this - she scampered up the ladder as fast as her arms could pull her.

Fox had barely moved from the top of the ladder, idly toeing a leaf that had drifted to the roof, still crisp underfoot. They could still make out the pounding bass of the bar, but it was mercifully muted. The two Hunters wordlessly crossed the length of the building, before Velvet found a well-positioned air-conditioning unit for them to perch on.

"There's a fire in the distance," Velvet noted, though there was no agitation in her voice. She squinted. "Probably burning some Grimm in effigy over where the Breach was."

"You'd think this town would've had enough monsters for a few weeks," mused Fox. He leaned back, staring up towards the sky. Velvet followed suit a moment later, two pairs of legs left dangling.

"I can't see the stars tonight," Velvet said, referring to the thick clouds overhead. The more time she spent with Fox, the more she found herself idly describing her surroundings. Just random details that caught her eye, like the intricate masonry of an old road, or the colors of the leaves on Beacon's grounds. She wasn't entirely sure if he liked it, but he'd never once interrupted her.

"Me neither," Fox replied, earning him a soft punch from Velvet. He grinned a little. "I can still remember them, though."

Velvet turned her head to face him. "The stars?"

He nodded. "Not all of them, obviously. But all the big constellations and a lot of the smaller ones." He propped himself upright, his gaze focused on the horizon. "Which way's north?"

Velvet sat up, casting about. A few Faunus she knew could tell what direction they were facing almost all the time, but she was not one of them. "Beacon's that way so… you're facing it."

Fox nodded softly. "First day of Autumn in downtown Vale…"

His arm jutted out at an angle. "The Wolf, or the Beowolf, whatever you call it." The arm drifted a little. "The Dwarves. The Cursed Prince. The Bears. Or again, the Ursa, depending on where you're from."

His arm drifted a little more, gently brushing against Velvet's. Her heart skipped a beat. With anyone else the gesture would have been an accident, but not Fox. He paid far too much attention to his surroundings to have forgotten where she was, for his choice of extended contact to have been anything but deliberate.

"I still can't see them," Velvet murmured, "but I'll take your word for it." He grinned a little as his usual line was played back to him, wry amusement slipping past a mask of stony stoicism.

"I know you grew up in the Southern Hemisphere so you're probably used to stars that look completely different, and I never learned what they look like so…" He was speaking fast, almost tripping over his words, an incredibly rarity. Then he paused, taking a calming breath through his nose as he did.

Velvet's hand found his, and this time he didn't flinch. His breaths were like thunder to her ears. She listened to each deep inhale, to each long exhale, her hand moving up his bare arm with the utmost delicacy as she did.

 _Inhale_. _Exhale_.

Her right hand found his face a minute later, and her left quickly came to join it. She played across his features, tracing the contours of his cheekbones, his jaw. They'd done this once before but with the roles reversed, Velvet seated stock-still in their dorm while her newly-assigned teammate brushed over her skin with otherworldly deliberation. Coco had gone first, then Yatsu; she was the last to have Fox's hands on her face. She could still remember his look of surprise as he'd found her leporine ears, his arms straining to reach their tips…

She kissed him first, turning his jaw ever-so-slightly until their lips were in perfect alignment. She felt his hands at her back a moment later, encircling her, pulling them together as their lips locked and parted a dozen times. She closed her eyes, shutting out the sights of the world, her universe collapsing to the pressure of his lips on her face, of his breath on her skin, of his body against hers.

They kissed until the fireworks erupted, until the night sky was pockmarked with celebratory starbursts. Fox could only faintly sense the bright flashes of phosphorescent light, but for once he didn’t mind the absence of Velvet's commentary, enjoying the simple entwining of their hands far more than any description she could have provided.

Their serenity was shattered a few minutes later by the sounds of a scuffle breaking out on the pavement. Velvet peered over the edge at the ruckus two stories below.

"See how fuckin' tough you are without your hammer!" Yang screamed, barely restrained by both Lie Ren and Yatsuhashi. A few feet away one short-haired redhead was gleefully skipping around Yang, a handful of blonde hairs clutched triumphantly in her hand, all while being chased by two more Huntresses desperate to prevent the situation from escalating any further. "I've fucking had it with these fucking tiny menaces! Gimme two minutes, s'all the re-match I need!"

Coco glanced up, somehow sensing their presence, a finger sliding down reflective sunglasses to reveal exhausted eyes beneath.

"Velvs, Fox, get your asses down here," she ordered, her 'Team Leader' voice impossible to miss. "We've got a very tall drunk and a very short drunk. I don't care which one you take, but you're getting _somebody_ into a cab."

Velvet shot him an apologetic glance. "Sorry, Fox," she said, tapping him on the arm before leaping off the building, landing with the grace only a Huntress could manage. He followed suit a moment later.

"We were having a _moment_ ," she hissed, mock-venom dripping from her voice as she passed her leader.

Coco grinned, knowingly. "This is why I can't let you out of my sight for a minute, Velvs," she teased. "Who knows what kind of trouble you'd get up to un-chaperoned?"

Velvet glanced at Coco, and caught the unmistakable glint of _pride_ in her eyes. Whatever embarrassment, whatever confusion, whatever uncertainty she'd felt melted away at that.

"Only the best kind."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (apologies for ensuing essay)
> 
> As the old saying goes, "[comment early, and comment often](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vote_early_and_vote_often)." Feedback is welcomed and hungered for. Characterization, setting, drama, romance. Thoughts for the future. Egregious errors. Also feel free to hit me up on reddit at [/u/pvoberstein](https://www.reddit.com/user/pvoberstein/).
> 
> This is Chapter 1 of a five-chapter Velvet/Fox work, which I am planning to update every day of the week through Friday. I've already written all the chapters, so fear not me becoming discouraged and/or losing motivation and abandoning this halfway through ([cough](https://archiveofourown.org/works/4669829), [cough](https://archiveofourown.org/works/5457554)).
> 
>  _Huge_ thanks to [Lydia Rogue](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lydia_rogue/pseuds/lydia_rogue/) and [St. Vincent](https://archiveofourown.org/users/StVincent/pseuds/StVincent) for deepening my understanding of the characters and helping me become a better writer in general. This work had no external proofreaders or editors, however, so all mistakes and shortcomings are entirely my own.
> 
> ANYWAYS. Felt like I went a little exposition-heavy re: Fox, but given how little we know about his character I kinda needed to do some legwork now. Pretty sure I stole the idea of Grimm being burned in effigy at festivals from somewhere, ~~but really can't remember whom. If you think you do, please let me know so I can credit the idea!~~ and it's _[Touch](https://archiveofourown.org/works/3298037)_ by [Xekstrin](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Xekstrin/pseuds/Xekstrin).
> 
> The name "Oscar" was chosen for a very convoluted reason, but there _is_ a reason. And _yes_ , I know Braille is a distinctly Terrestrial language that would not exist in Remnant, but it was faster than writing "a tactile language of elevated bumps". Also, whatever, Remnant uses the Latin alphabet already, so I get a pass.
> 
> I spent _way_ too much time trying to figure out if "phosphorescent" was the correct adjective for "phosphorous"…


	2. Secrets & Surprises

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Velvet and Fox go out for a candlelit dinner. Reality ensues.

"Let me touch you."

"No."

"Just a brush."

" _No_."

"I just want to-"

"-keep your hands to yourself!"

Coco let herself into the CFVY dorm room, mildly curious but not particularly concerned about the conversation she could hear from halfway down the hall. Which was probably a sign that she was becoming dangerously jaded. She crossed the threshold just as Velvet - in a _dress_ , of all things - was bounding over one bed, Fox's arm outstretched behind her. Fox's hands fell to his sides the moment he heard the lilt of Coco's steps, but Velvet put another bed between her and her boyfriend for good measure.

"Am I interrupting something?" asked Coco, for once genuinely unsure of the answer. She began setting about changing without waiting for a response. While the Beacon Academy uniform was fashionable enough as these things went, she still longed for a return to sartorial uniqueness.

"Velvet won't let me touch her dress," said Fox, speaking first. He moved to straighten out a few wrinkles in his suit. He hadn't worn it since first-year prom, and it was already driving him crazy.

Coco raised a quizzical eyebrow. "Velvs, rebuttal?"

"It's supposed to be a _surprise_ ," she hissed back, her hands protectively wrapped around the fabric.

"It's not a _surprise_ , it's a _secret_ ," retorted Fox, sullenly. Coco couldn't help but grin. As much as Fox would deny it, dating someone had done _wonders_ for the range of emotions he was willing to readily express. "How am I supposed to visualize my date when I have no idea what she's wearing?"

"Just do whatever you do with women you're not allowed to _molest_ ," shot back Velvet, snarkily.

Fox growled a little. "Well normally I don't particularly care what people are wearing. I mean, Coco's strolling around in her underwear right now, but it makes no difference to me if she's wearing a sports bra or something from the 'special' drawer."

Coco snorted at that - she was indeed her in her underwear, and even in the middle of an argument Fox hadn't missed the telltale sounds of her disrobement. "It's a very pretty dress, Fox," supplied Coco, unhelpfully. She paused midway through choosing her new outfit. "It's black. Play your cards right and you might find out just how much cleavage she's flashing."

" _Thank_ you," replied Fox, pointedly. He huffed. "But you and Velvet literally got to _hand-pick_ my suit, while all I know is that she's in a black dress and heels." And they _definitely_ weren't the kitten heels she'd worn to prom.

"I am _trying_ to be romantic," retorted Velvet. "And _surprises_ are romantic."

" _Surprise_ is you moving all the toilet paper rolls from beneath the sink to _under Yatsu's bed_ , for some reason."

"We needed to make room for the new towels! We had a conversation! You _agreed_ with me!"

"To _moving_ them, not to burying them in the most remote…"

Coco finished dressing and tilted her head towards the sky. Her prayer for divine intervention went unanswered.

"Wow, I've never seen two people go from 'couple' to 'married old couple' in less time than you," she finally said, the words soft-spoken but girded with a leader's authority. To her credit, they both stopped bickering immediately. Velvet had the sense to blush, while Fox just crossed his arms.

"We're going to be late," Fox noted. His internal clock was already second-to-none, and he'd programmed his Scroll to send a distinct vibration every ten minutes. He could normally trust his team to get him wherever he needed to be on time, but it never hurt to have a backup…

"No, you're not," corrected Coco, tapping open her Scroll with a weary sigh. "I realize _now_ that marriage counseling would probably have been a better investment, but I took the liberty of rearranging your reservations." Velvet's and Fox's Scrolls buzzed as new messages were received. "Chez Blanc, at eight-thirty."

"Coco, that's…"

"…Possibly the nicest restaurant in Vale," Fox said, finishing his girlfriend's sentence. "Why?"

Coco shrugged, indifferently. "Because you haven't had a candlelit dinner together, and I'm a sucker for the classics. Oh, and it's all going to my tab, so don't worry about the bill. Not that the menu has prices anyways."

* * *

Fox, to his own surprise, found that he actually _really_ liked fine dining. The silverware was, indeed, real silver, and he enjoyed running his fingers over the intricate craftsmanship. The tablecloth had a thread count higher than his bedsheets. He enjoyed listening to the gentle _plucks_ of nimble fingers across harp strings, and the _clink_ of his wine glass against his girlfriend's. The bread smelled _amazing_ , and was warm between his hands…

" _Excuse me, waiter, I would like to change my table_ …" Fox tilted his head slightly, picking out a singular voice through the low din of conversations. Male, sixty-something, dining alone maybe fifteen feet away. The ensuing exchange was too quiet for even Fox to make out, but he couldn't miss the disgust coating the words.

" _Of course, sir, my apologies. Please follow me_ …" The scrape of a chair being pushed back, then two pairs of leather-soled shoes walking away across marble floors.

Velvet's hand was shaking as her knife scraped across the plate. It didn't take a genius to put two and two together.

"You okay, Velvet?" murmured Fox, leaning over the table.

" _Mm-hm_ ," his date replied, forcing food into her mouth. She swallowed, loudly. "No, it's just… I've never been in a place like this before."

"Tell me about it," agreed Fox. "Let me guess - you're the only Faunus here, right?"

She didn't need to bother with an answer. No restaurant in Vale could openly refuse to serve Faunus, but had it not been _Coco Adel_ making the reservations she had no doubt that she'd never have made it past the maître d'. No matter how well she rinsed and washed too many humans believed Faunus were simply _unclean_ , and that having your food anywhere near them was patently unhygienic. And while the waitstaff might be legally obliged to _serve_ her, they had no need to make her feel welcome.

The first course was passed in relative silence, only a few quiet words about taste and texture exchanged. Fox ate with unusual deliberation, because like _hell_ was he going to let something drip on his suit. He might've hated the costume - he'd spent more time getting dressed than his girlfriend, to her amusement - but Velvet insisted it was _very_ suave, and that was good enough for him. After a few quiet minutes he felt the toe of Velvet's shoe tapping against his leg, drifting up and down his calf almost absent-mindedly.

As the waiter removed their plates, Fox should've known better than to believe that they were out of the woods. That one crotchety old man was a racist anomaly and not representative of the patrons writ large. That Velvet would remember the taste of her food more than the five minutes they'd spent standing around being gawked at while their reservations were _checked_ and _re-checked_.

The booth behind them was populated a few minutes later, four men and two women, probably all in their mid-twenties and _definitely_ halfway to drunk. Fox hoped they'd be too preoccupied with themselves to notice the couple seated a few feet away. He didn't have to wait a minute before his hopes were dashed against the rocks.

"I thought animals weren't allowed in restaurants!" one of the men called out, loud enough to be heard on the other side of the dining room. Velvet's foot retreated to her side of the table in a heartbeat, her breathing sounded thunderous in his ears. How idiotic was he to curse the old bigot who'd simply changed tables?

"I'm okay, Fox," Velvet whispered, though he could hear her voice shaking. She'd had her fears about 'intruding' into a restaurant like this, into a space dominated by powerful humans. Fears she and her teammates had coached her to overcome. Fears that were now being validated. That this was a part of the world where she simply _did not belong_. He extended a hand across the table for Velvet to clasp but nearly knocked over a candlestick in the process, his girlfriend barely catching it before it toppled over.

"Whoa, well, obviously there's an exception for _service animals_ ," another called out, followed by a round of guffaws. Fox's hand balled into a fist.

" _Excuse me_ , sir, you know your blind date is a _Faunus_ , right?"

Velvet caught his hand a moment before he stood up. It was only then that he realized that she was wearing evening gloves, soft and silken.

"You're supposed to keep those things on a leash, mate!"

"Six of them," he growled, barely able to keep his voice from a shout. "Four men and two women. No Auras of any meaningful strength. I can have them shitting their pants inside of thirty seconds."

"Fox, _don't_ ," Velvet pleaded. " _Please_."

Fox scowled, and Velvet's silk-gloved hand on his was the only thing keeping him in his seat. He was used to being teased, to being tormented, had been for years until the strength of his Aura had manifested itself. The jokes at his expense might as well have been white noise; he'd simply learned not to care. As long as he wasn't in danger he was usually content to wait for his assailers to grow bored.

But _Velvet_ …

He'd never cared much about Faunus one way or another before Beacon. People interacted with him so weirdly to begin with that whether they had an extra set of ears had made little difference to him. Not that he could usually tell, either, except in rare instances. He'd never been bothered by the jokes at their expense, getting picked on for who you were was just the way the world worked.

For lack of a better term, he felt _different_ now.

Velvet was in the middle of trying to flag down a waiter when he heard something land with a soft _plop_ on his plate. Frowning, he felt around until he found an olive, an ingredient foreign to both their dishes. But not the martinis the neighboring table had ordered…

" _Velvet_ ," said Fox, holding the olive between his thumb and forefinger. "Did they just throw this at you?"

Velvet sighed, wearily. "Yes, Fox," she answered, sounding far more saddened than angry. "I'm trying to get our table changed."

"Don't," replied Fox. He could tell that the restaurant was _at least_ half-empty; the seating was unlikely to have been coincidental. He stood up, grabbing his wine glass. "We're leaving."

He looked like he was storming out, even without Velvet guiding the way. Right up until he 'bumped' into the table of the adjacent booth, his arm flailing out in front of him, almost comically. The contents of his wine glass went flying, impacting with a satisfying _splash_ against one of the men. He didn't particularly care which.

For a few seconds, silence reigned supreme.

"What the _fuck_!" his target demanded, clamoring to his feet. A few others stood up, but the semi-circle of the booth prevented them from moving easily. Fox took a half-step back, in what a novice might have mistaken for retreat, but Velvet recognized instantly as a fighting stance. "You _ruined_ this suit!"

"Sorry about that," Fox replied, apology absence from his tone entirely. Then he _grinned_ , tapping two fingers against his temple. "These eyes don't work so good."

" _Fox_!"

"You are one dumb motherfucker." Fox grimaced slightly as he felt droplets of spittle on his face. The man's hands grasped his lapels. "You have _any_ idea what we could do to you?"

The man had a few inches on him, not that it mattered. Fox's hand clenched, in anticipation of closing around his adversary's throat. Adrenaline was coursing through his veins, his entire body _pleading_ for the fight to begin.

"You want to take this outside?" Fox murmured, _begging_ the idiot to throw the first punch.

"Fox, _please_ , let's just get back to Beacon!" Velvet was between them, pushing them apart. And even Fox could detect the way the atmosphere changed after Velvet name-dropped their school. He waited a moment, pausing as if for dramatic effect, before flaring his Aura, causing it to briefly shimmer in the candlelit room. You needed a pretty powerful Aura for that kind of trick to work, the kind that could stop bullets or shatter walls.

He heard the man take a half-step back, and he knew the moment to fight had passed. He sighed. "Sorry about the suit," he repeated, before allowing Velvet to take him by the hand and lead him away.

* * *

Despite what she'd said at the restaurant Velvet made no move to return to Beacon, ignoring a row of idling taxis and racing down the sidewalk instead. Fox wordlessly cursed and followed after her, the uneven _clicks_ of her heels on pavement all the breadcrumbs he needed.

Velvet finally came to a halt several minutes later, after veering onto one of the bridges spanning the river separating Vale's commercial and residential districts. It was a rather pretty bridge - or so he'd been told - a centuries-old arch paved with cobblestones and closed to vehicular traffic. Both sides were lined with storefronts and during the day the bridge would have been awash with tourists and merchants. In the cool autumnal evening, they had it practically to themselves.

"Here," Fox said, unbuttoning his suit jacket and extending it in front of him. "I don't know what exactly you're wearing but you've got to be getting cold."

"Thank you," Velvet murmured, taking the jacket out of his hands and draping it around her shoulders like a shawl. At least she wasn't pissed at _him_ , by the sound of her voice.

He leaned against the masonry, listening to the water rushing beneath them. He really wanted to roll up the sleeves of his dress shirt, but the cufflinks Coco had _insisted_ he wear really complicated things. He settled for loosening his tie.

They spent several minutes in silence, Fox listening to Velvet's breaths as they slowly returned to normal. Part of his brain screamed at him to say something, while another part raised the valid objection that he had no real idea _what_ to say. He had no idea if Velvet wanted to be touched, or hugged, or kissed, or just left alone entirely. He settled on staying near her.

"I'm sorry," Velvet said, her soft voice piercing the quiet night. She sniffled. "I just wanted to have a nice night out, and… _and_ …" The last words came out staggered, and Fox couldn't tell if she was about to cry in sorrow or scream in anger. Both seemed perfectly valid to him. "I'm not mad at you," she said, a moment later, "not for trying to protect me. It's just… this _world_." She practically spat the last word out. "Why can't we just go somewhere nice without needing to be ready for a fight? Without having to worry about spit in the food or people pulling my ears or…" Her palm _slapped_ the stony railing, the sound of skin on masonry resonating in the evening sky. "This world…"

Fox's hand found hers. She'd taken the gloves off. "It's the only one we've got," he murmured, somberly. Velvet's fingers curled around his, and her squeeze was ferocious. "Do you want to catch a cab?"

"Not yet," Velvet said, her voice barely above a whisper. She straightened up a little, releasing his hand to fix her hair. "Coco's going to know something went wrong the moment we walk in," she sighed. "She's going to be furious, then apologetic, then back to furious again…I just don't have the energy for that conversation right now."

Fox nodded, understandingly. He felt it, too - the fight had just completely left him. Twenty minutes ago he'd been ready to burn the building to the ground with everyone in it. Now he was just… _tired_.

"Thank you for not fighting them," Velvet said, her hand clasping his once more.

"Just trying to defend my lady's honor," Fox answered, though he kept his tone flat rather than theatrical.

"I know it's not easy," continued Velvet, her thumb idly rubbing back and forth across his skin. "And I know it would have felt good, for a few minutes. But then the police would get involved, and Coco, and probably Beacon, and…" she shook her head, "the world wouldn't be any better for it."

"I don't necessarily agree with you," replied Fox, "but I am _way_ too whipped to disobey."

Velvet snorted softly, craning her neck to give him a peck on the cheek. "Poor, poor, Fox." He heard her sliding out of his jacket, draping it over the railing.

"Tell me about it. I don't even know what kind of dress my girlfriend is wearing."

He paused, holding his breath to see if he'd pushed too far. The moment last agonizingly long, a relative eternity, until Velvet took one of his hands in both of hers. She rested his palm against her sternum, holding it there so he could feel each of her breaths. There was no fabric there.

" _Well_." She paused, her head surveying the bridge in both directions. It was theirs alone. "I _suppose_ I can let you explore a little." He tried to move his hand towards where the straps (presumably) were, but she kept it locked in place. "But you're going to have to tell me where you want this hand to go."

Fox grinned a little at that. "Okay…. _up._ "

Velvet furrowed her brow in confusion - that was _not_ the direction she'd been expecting - but dutifully began guiding Fox's hand upwards, with infinite deliberation. Their breathing grew heavier with each second. Fox's eyelids drifted shut, as he lost himself in the softness of her skin. "Up… up…"

"I'm not wearing a choker, if that's what you're wondering," breathed Velvet, as his hand made his way up her neck. She'd have been terrified had almost anyone else had their fingers over her throat, but right now she felt invincible.

"Up…My right, your left" She had to let go with one hand as his reached her cheek, caressing it softly. "Now, back a little."

"Where are you going with-"

Just as his thumb reached her ear he pulled her head towards him, pressing their lips together. Velvet _squeaked_ and _squealed_ , somehow still surprised, then kissed back, wrapping her arms around him and holding him close.

" _This world_ …" Velvet breathed, after they finally parted. Her fingers clutched the fabric of his dress shirt. Fox's breath was hot on her face, heavy and _needing_. "Has _some_ redeeming features."

"One or two," agreed Fox, encircling her waist. " _Shame_ they're so hard to find."

"Bloody shame," Velvet concurred. "But the surprise is worth it."

They kissed for hours.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, the obligatory Velvet-being-bullied chapter. I know the fandom is awash with these, but I hope this still felt new. As always, feedback is appreciated! Comments keep me from talking to the voices in my head.
> 
> At first I thought I was writing the other diners' reactions as too aggressive, but then realized that by the standards of the opponents of the Greensboro sit-in they were actually pretty mild. Given that Team CRDL had no qualms about very aggressively harassing Velvet in the middle of the Beacon Cafeteria - and that, incidentally, nobody stopped them - I feel like it's not a big stretch of the imagination.
> 
> This was written pretty much entirely from Fox's perspective, which I hope worked for everyone.
> 
>  _Almost_ titled this chapter "Lowlifes in High Places", due to the double entendre it afforded.


	3. Keep it PG

He might never appreciate the _sight_ , but he had to admit that he could certainly get used to the _sound_ of Velvet in heels.

 _Click-click. Click-click-clack. Click-clack_.

Coco had bought her the stilettos months ago, in anticipation of a Prom they would never get to attend. Velvet had worn them exactly _once_ , when she'd teetered around the boutique with the elegance of a wounded gazelle, and they had remained sequestered in a box beneath her bed with all the other bogeymen of her nightmares. As Prom had grown closer she'd begun cursing the manifestation of her Faunus heritage. If only she'd had hooves, or paws, or _anything_ other than stupid human feet for which the five inches of torture had been designed.

That wasn't to say that she was _grateful_ that an extended Grimm hunt had caused them to miss the dance entirely. Obviously not. But, in retrospect, there were certainly some… _collateral benefits_.

Fox had hung around enough women to tell those comfortable in heels apart from those who weren't. And Velvet definitely _wasn't_. Her feet seemed to slip and slide, and she braced herself against things (himself included) far more than she had any excuse to. They were probably killing her calves and her feet, all to lengthen legs he would never be able to see.

But he _really did_ like the sound. Each step resonated against the hardwood floor of the dorm room, and he could pick out her unsteady patter even amidst a dozen freshmen.

Fox was little more for parties than he was for bars, but at least here he knew (almost) everybody in attendance, and they were but a few floors down from the CFVY dorm room. His arms hung loosely by his sides instead of folded across his chest. Things _could_ still go wrong - he was probably never going to be able to let his guard down entirely - but the odds were certainly in his favor.

 _Physically_ , at least. _Socially_ … that was a different ball game altogether.

"So, hey man, I know you got like the 'strong and silent' type thing going," slurred a freshman whose name he'd never bothered to learn. J-something? "But I just want you to know that I can be a _suuuuuuper_ good listener. Like I got seven sisters ma' man, lemme tell you, I can handle an earful." J-something…. JNPR? _Shit_ , was _this_ the guy he'd fought beside at the Breach? "So like if you're worried about people judgin' you for your scars, like…" It sounded like he'd made a gesture of some sort, but Fox couldn't decipher it. There was a pause, broken by the sound of lips unsealing from the neck of a bottle, and the slosh of the little liquid remaining. "So, um… how'd ya get the scars?"

Fox peered in the direction of his inquisitor, hoping the white eyes everyone found so unsettling were bearing into the man's soul. He considered several options. _Silence_ , which was his usual go-to. _The truth_ , which would probably shut him up pretty damn fast. _Distracting him_ , though Fox didn't consider himself enough of a conversationalist to surreptitiously change the topic, even had he been inclined to continue the conversation.

"Got in a fight with a combine harvester," he replied, keeping his voice completely deadpan.

"Wh-what? Holy shit, man, that's like… incredibly stupid. You'd get torn to shreds!"

"You should see the combine harvester," Fox answered, inwardly sighing. _Fucking freshman_.

"But aren't you… blind?" the kid asked. Fox bit his lip. 

"We prefer the term 'visually crippled' these days," he said in a gentle tone, hoping against hope that he could get payback for this _incredibly_ painful conversation one day.

"Wait… really? Oh, shit, man, I'm sorry, I didn't mean…"

Fox idly ran a hand through his hair. He wondered if it had grown too long? Were boyfriends supposed to consult their girlfriends before changing their hair? Or was it the other way around? Or both? Fuck, _another_ thing he'd have to ask Coco about.

 _Where the hell was Coco_? He could _really_ use a dose of her concentrated scorn right about now. But he knew that she was, of all places, spending Friday night in the library for some study session on Dust theory.

_Click-click-clack_

His head snapped up before Velvet even spoke. "Fox! There you are!" She leaned against him, sandwiching him between her body and the wall. The heels didn't _quite_ equalize their heights - assuming you didn't count her ears - but it made them a hell of a lot closer.

"Did the room somehow move around me?" he replied, glibly. It had been a joke at first that whenever they went to a dorm party Velvet would just drop him off in a corner somewhere and pick him up when she was done. One of those jokes that was really more just an observation of reality.

His flippancy earned him a poke.

"Be nice," she chided, pecking him on the cheek.

He sniffed her breath, eyebrows raising a little as he did. "Have you been drinking?" There was nothing accusatory in his voice, only mild curiosity.

"What can I say, Yang makes a mean strawberry sunrise." He heard her taking a small sip. _So that's what her other hand was doing._ "Bored yet?"

"It's like watching paint dry," he quipped back, extracting an alcohol-fuelled giggle. That was a lie - whatever strobe lighting this room had was _way_ more interesting to the parts of his eyes that could still faintly detect changes in brightness.

"Shall we?" He heard the sound of a glass being set down on the desk he'd been guarding his right flank with. Velvet's hand snuck into his, offering to lead the way.

"Sure."

The dorm room wasn't big but it seemed to take them an awfully long time to clear it, Velvet calling out apologetic farewells to seemingly every person they passed. Somehow, Fox couldn't be annoyed. As much as he should have wanted Velvet to remain his and his alone, he couldn't help but feel happy that her social circle was so much richer than just CFVY these days.

 _Click-clack. Click, click, click-click_.

Velvet had to give up holding his hand as soon as they were back in the hallways, as dragging him along proved to be a bridge too far in heels. But he knew every corridor in Beacon like the back of his hand, had spent hours in his first few weeks just aimlessly wandering to familiarize himself with his new home. Sixteen doors to the stairwell, forty-three steps and a landing to their floor.

"Thanks for coming out with me tonight," said Velvet, as they made their way up the stairs. The stilettos were really slowing her down.

"Not a problem," he replied, hovering just behind her. "Haven't you ever seen someone walk up a flight of stairs in heels? Can't you just Mimic them?"

"I could," Velvet conceded, "but there are some things I want to do without using my Semblance. And even _with_ my Semblance there's nothing quite as good as muscle memory."

Velvet stopped in the hallway to their dorm, gently pushing him against the wall. He surrendered to her gentle guidance. Straining his ears as best he could, he heard nothing but her soft breaths on the nape of his neck.

Her teeth found bare skin a second later, and he had to keep from gasping. "This might sound strange," she murmured, her lips practically vibrating against his neck, "but it's kind of fun to go to a party _with my boyfriend_."

"Ah, now I understand," whispered Fox, encircling her waist with his hands. "It's a status thing, isn't it? Velvet Scarlatina gets to show off her latest boy toy."

"On the nose," confirmed Velvet, kissing him exactly there a second later. "It's not often that The Invincible Girl _and_ the heiress to the Schnee Dust Company are jealous of a lowly Faunus, but _I-have-something-they-don't_." The last words came out in the sing-song lilt of a childhood tease.

"Oh _baby_ , I'll be your trophy husband any day of the week," Fox replied, dryly.

"Don't worry," said Velvet, taking the opportunity to bite his lower lip. She held it just long enough to make herself giggle. "I think I have a way of making things interesting for you."

They reached their dorm a moment later, Velvet placing a firm hand on Fox's chest. He hadn't been a fan of the apparently-wafer-thin t-shirt she'd picked out for him, but the increased tactile sensation was making a pretty compelling argument. "Wait here a sec."

He listened to a door being unlocked, opened, and closed. He belatedly realized his heart was pounding. Was Velvet… making her move on him? He'd been perfectly content with the leisurely pace they'd been taking, had absolutely _no_ desire to push Velvet to go faster than she was comfortable.

His brow furrowed as his mind involuntarily turned back to the party. How much had she drank? He couldn't know, but she'd seemed more intoxicated by the party atmosphere than by any drink. He'd never known Velvet to get drunk in her life, but then again, would he recognize it if she was? Was this just liquid courage, or a lowering of inhibitions, or her just being more comfortable with him, or…

He was distracted by the sound of music from within, some kind of Mistrali electro-club thing that he'd only heard Coco listen to through headphones. The door _creaked_ open and a hand pulled him inside, roughly manhandling him until he was seated on a bed.

"Tell you what," _cooed_ Velvet, her mouth inches from his ear. "For being _such_ a good boyfriend," she slipped out of reach, her heels _clicking_ with each deliberate step, "I'm going to give you a striptease."

Fox's hands rose a few inches into the air, before falling back to his thighs with a dull _slap_.

"Not that I don't appreciate the gesture," he began, choosing his words very carefully, "but I feel like I'm going to miss most of the experience."

 _Click, click, click, click_.

Fox tilted his head. Velvet actually _was_ stepping in beat with the tempo, as synchronized as could be. Gone were her cautious half-steps and awkward stumbles, she must have been tapping into her Mimicry to imitate someone. He had no idea as to whom that was, or what exactly she was doing, only that it sounded about seven feet away from him and _very_ elegant.

"I think you'll enjoy yourself regardless," teased Velvet, just out of reach. "If you don't like _looking_ at me, what else do you like?"

"Feeling you?" Fox offered, a little unsure as to where she was going with this.

"I'm saving the lap dance for your birthday," replied Velvet, coyly. "Try again."

 _Ummmmm_. "Smelling you?"

The sound of a zipper sliding up and down. It was the one on the hoodie she'd been wearing, the Beacon Academy one. _Zip, zip, zip, ziiiiiiip_. 

Something hit him in the face a moment later, and it took him no time to recognize the fabric. He raised it to his face, inhaling. No mistaking Velvet's hoodie. _Dust_ he loved her smell. He'd come to appreciate the absence of perfume from Velvet's makeup routine, of anything that could mask _her_ scent.

"You like the heels," noted Velvet, and this time Fox was fast enough to catch them _before_ he was smacked square in the face with five inches of patent leather. It was harder to make out the patter of Velvet's bare feet on the floor, the music muting the softer sounds.

He caught a shirt a moment later, shortly followed by a pair of jeans. Blind as he might be Fox had no difficulties imagining the scene before him, and his own protestations notwithstanding he was actually getting into the mood.

One sock, then the other. Curled up like tiny balls.

"I thought you'd come to see things my way," teased Velvet, as Fox shuffled slightly to adjust his pants.

Another shirt hit him - Velvet must have been wearing an undershirt of some kind. The bra caught him over the head. He frowned, the lacy material feeling more like one of Coco's than Velvet's. But then he hadn't had a lot of opportunities to discover Velvet's 'unmentionables', and Coco had taken her to a _lot_ of boutiques recently.

A pair of pantyhose, soft and silken…

….wait, Velvet was wearing pantyhose? He tilted his head. She almost never did, something about the amount of maintenance they required. _Wait_ , had she been wearing them under her jeans? Under socks? Was that a thing? He was about as ignorant of women's fashion as humanly possible, but-

-Panties. Those distracted him for a few seconds. At least until he felt the fabric, or lack thereof. Did Velvet _own_ a g-string? Since when? He'd never been more confused and aroused in his life.

Another shirt hit him. Then another.

_It's laundry day, isn't it?_

The confusion vanished from his face just as the song ended.

"Oh my gods I am so sorry Fox," cried Velvet, though she was choking back laughs as she tackled him to the bed.

Unfortunately, she wasn't the only one laughing.

"Fox… Fox," choked out Coco, from the corner of the room her bed was tucked against. She had been _very_ still. "I just watched Velvet throw clothes from the hamper at you for like five minutes and…" her voice trailed off, consumed by laughter.

"That was _really_ tasteless," grumbled Fox, as Velvet forcibly snuggled up against him. She was, he could not help but notice, entirely clothed.

"It's my fault," called out Coco, eventually regaining her composure. "I once told her this story about how I did that to this guy in high school I was dating, except he was blindfolded instead of just, um, blind." She rubbed her face. "Oh, _man_. To your credit, you clued in a _lot_ faster than he did." Another stifled laugh. "She was _totally_ going to bang you before she saw that I was in the room," she added, descending into hysterical laughter again.

"I was not!" Velvet cried out, diving into Fox's shoulder to hide her blush. "I was just going to… make out and see what happened."

Fox's hand found her back, his fingers gently scratching up and down her spine. He could never say it aloud, but she was _really_ cute when she was curled up, trying to hide from the world. He was just happy she chose to hide in his bed, with him around her.

"Hey Coco," called out Fox, as he ran his hand along Velvet's back, "out of curiosity, what would you say is an appropriate apology for making fun of a man's disability?"

"Oh, wow, like at _least_ a week of oral sex," replied Coco, instantly catching on. "And that's with eye contact and lingerie and everything." Velvet somehow managed to curl up even smaller, all the easier for her boyfriend to wrap his arms around.

"Hm, well, food for thought," mused Fox.

Coco snorted and tossed him an unseen wave, grabbing her Scroll on the way to the door. "Sorry for cock-blocking you, Fox, but blame my canceled study group." She slid her sunglasses on. "Keep it PG in there, guys," Coco called out, closing the door behind her. Her head ducked back in a moment later. "Or, you know… _don't_."

They really were alone now, just the two of them curled up in bed. It took a string of kisses to coax Velvet out of her ball, but her lips regained the initiative soon enough. In a manner of minutes she was down to her undergarments, and this time the cool touch of her skin left no room for deception.

"I didn't mean to make fun of you for being blind," murmured Velvet, a finger tracing his sternum. "It's a little hypocritical of me," she continued, draping her rabbit ears against his head as she spoke. "C-can I make it up to you?" Her hand drifted south, past his waist, her touch tantalizing and electrifying.

"Relax, Velvet," he said, catching her wandering hand in his. "You don't owe me anything." Moving her hand might have required a Herculean amount of strength, but the _last_ thing he wanted was her rushing out of a misplaced sense of guilt. He kissed her lips. "You're not some random kid on the street throwing rocks because it'd be funny." He released her hand. After a moment's pause Velvet found the scars again, where they were thick enough that the nuances of her touch seemed to fade in and out along the lines. "But if you want to make it up to me…" she leaned forward, "you could always get one of those sexy bunny costumes. You know, the corsets with the fluffy tail on the ass, and-"

The pillow was yanked out from underneath him, and being used to smother him a moment later. Fox snorted and easily tossed it aside, pulling his would-be murderer back atop him.

"I'd call you an arsehole, but I apparently surrendered the moral high ground," complained Velvet, over the patter of kisses.

"I can assure you it's a lot more fun in the trenches," promised Fox, as he pulled her under the sheets.

By the time they came up for air, their bodies pockmarked with the imprints of lips and teeth, Velvet was inclined to agree.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feedback is, as always, breathlessly welcomed. Next two chapters (let's call them pre-finale and finale) are _slightly_ different, be advised.
> 
> I don't really trust my own sense of humor, so any feedback on that would be appreciated. Also, this chapter caused me a lot more mental agony then someone with a dozen-odd smut fics to their name should have felt.


	4. Fight Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Or; Finale (Part I)

In retrospect, Fox should have known the date was going to be a disaster.

He'd been in a bad mood. He'd gone to sleep in a bad mood, and woken up in a bad mood. There wasn't even a good reason for it, it was just one of those things that _happened_ from time to time. A study group in the library the night before had been re-scheduled, but nobody had bothered to tell him. Yatsu snored. He spent ten minutes groping about for the nail clippers. A dozen things that on any given day he wouldn't have thought twice about, but now were just _getting under his skin_.

He should have come up with some excuse. Lied, maybe, said he was feeling sick from Fajita Friday. Or even just the truth - that he'd slept poorly and was in a foul mood and probably wouldn't be the most pleasant company. Velvet would have understood, he knew.

But at the same time he couldn't. He wouldn't just be blowing off a date, he'd be blowing off a _double_ date, as Velvet had cheerily described it to him. Which meant that Velvet would have had to explain his absence to people she was so eager to show him off to. And even if that might have been the lesser of two evils, he hadn't been able to bring himself to do it.

The date was at some diner-style place in Vale, the kind of place that sold greasy hamburgers and root beer floats and had a conspicuously retro feel to it. Velvet had handled the introductions. He'd met Blake Belladonna a few times before but their conversations had been the definition of laconic - he also _definitely_ was not supposed to know that she was Faunus. Sun Wukong was a different matter all together. Fox's hand - extended for a handshake - had been met by the tip of a prehensile tail. Blake had groaned and Sun had laughed and Fox had had to smother a flame of annoyance.

They'd slid into a booth with plush, faux-leather seats, and Velvet and Blake chatted amicably about the classes they shared. Fox mostly sat around, listening to the sounds of the kitchen. When the waitress finally came around Velvet ordered for him, naming a sundae special chalked onto a blackboard he hadn't even known was there. That was hardly unusual - whenever the team dined out he usually trusted Coco or Velvet to just order something off the menu rather than making them laboriously read it aloud for him - but they never just _presumed_.

He couldn't follow the conversation - classes he'd already taken and homework assignments he didn't have. Some smell from the kitchen was really annoying his stomach. _And Sun's tail kept hitting him beneath the table!_

Upon reflection, Fox would determine that it was when the conversation turned to a history assignment on the Menagerie Resettlement that everything went to shit.

"So who has it worse, being a Faunus or being blind?" asked Sun, before taking a noisy sip of his sundae.

"Well, I don't think it's fair to compare the two…" began Velvet, before Sun waved her off.

"Sure it is. I mean society treats both of us like shit, right Fox?" Fox shrugged a little. " _You_ can't find your way anywhere, cops give _us_ a hard time… which is harder day-to-day?"

"Being Faunus, probably," answered Velvet. "At least, one with very prominent traits." Fox missed the way Blake scowled at that. "Most of human society is at _best_ ambivalent about Faunus, while large chunks of it still want to treat us like slaves, or animals."

"You know being blind is not exactly a cakewalk," growled Fox, his irritation _finally_ finding an outlet. "There are plenty of people who harass you just because they think they can get away with it. Not to mention all of society is designed for people with two working eyes."

"But you don't have unaccountable corporations forcing blind people to work eighteen-hour shifts in Dust mines just because nobody cares about their rights!" sniped Blake.

"See, I'm with Fox on this one," interjected Sun, leaning over the table. "I mean, there are times when being Faunus blows - don't get me wrong - but on the other hand…" he scooped a bottle of ketchup off the table with his tail, tossing it up in a lazy arc before gently setting it down. "Has some pretty cool upsides, too. Being blind would just _suck_."

"I can't _believe_ you are taking his side," hissed Blake, causing Sun to raise his hands in mock surrender.

"I'm not taking anybody's side! I'm just saying I'd rather have a tail than not be able to see!"

"You're missing the point," Blake retorted. "It's about human society feeling sorry for a handful of blind people rather than the entire _race_ living in slave-like conditions."

"' _Feeling sorry_ '?" Fox shot back. "Care to explain that?"

It was Velvet who spoke next, surprising him. "Fox, it's just that, well, a lot of people genuinely _hate_ Faunus. Blind people…" she fumbled for words, "they just feel _pity_."

 _Pity_.

"Oh, wow, so _that's_ what everyone's felt for me my whole life. _Great_."

"That's not what I mean!" replied Velvet. "Charities that help Faunus are accused of wasting money _at best_. A lot of people see them as little more than fronts for the White Fang. But when people go out of their way to help the blind their friends praise them, the media celebrates them... they feel _good_. "

Fox leaned back, hard enough for his head to smack the booth. "Ah, now everything makes sense. I'm just your pity case, aren't I? Someone to date so you can feel good about yourself." The words felt cathartic to his ears, like the first punch of a fight.

" _What?!_ "

Fox shrugged, as if he didn't have a care in the world. "I've heard it happen to guys before. You get a girlfriend and she expects you to treat her like a living saint because dating you is such an act of _charity_."

"I never-"

"Of course not _you_ , Velvet," replied Fox, letting the sarcasm drip from his words. "You're _far_ too pure for that. I mean, you're dating a _blind guy_. You've _must_ be perfect." He paused. “I don’t know why I’m complaining. I mean, it’s not like _I_ could do better, anyways.”

The silence lasted several seconds, and Fox didn't give a damn that everyone else in the diner was listening to their conversation. Velvet stood up a moment later.

"I'm going to the toilet," she said, grabbing her jacket. "See you around, Fox."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Does RWBY _look_ like a show that cares about your petty feelings? [ _Points angrily to disintegrated remains of Best Girl Pyrrha Nikos_ ]
> 
> But seriously, you didn’t think it was going to be smooth sailing all the way, did you?
> 
> This chapter’s a bit shorter than the others (or rather, closer to what the other chapters _were supposed to have been!_ ), but it’s kind of the set-up for the finale.
> 
> "Going to the toilet" sounds a little weird, but I've been told it's the proper Australianism. Also, I hate writing fights, but any feedback would be appreciated.


	5. Catharsis

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Or: The Real Finale

They were at a bar. Which bar exactly Fox didn't really care. He nursed another sip of his cola.

"Alright, um…" Sun's fingers drummed the table. "Okay, first things first: _mea_ fucking _culpa_ about the double-date. I was kind of trying to get a rise out of Blake, didn't mean to drag you two into it."

"It's not your fault," replied Fox, taking another sip. Try as he might he couldn't be annoyed at Sun. He just did not have the energy anymore. "I fucked up."

" _Wellllll_ , yeah," Sun conceded. "I was going to be a little more tactful about it, but we can jump to the point." Fox let his head _bang_ against the bar counter. "Easy there, man, I've been there before," consoled Sun, patting him on the back. He ignored the way Fox bristled at his touch. 

"Velvet probably hates me," he groaned, finally propping himself upright.

Sun shrugged. "For a little while, yeah. But I mean… you hang around with _anyone_ long enough and you're bound to hate them at one point or another. What matters is what happens next."

"Flowers, right? I get her flowers, say I'm sorry, and patch things up."

Sun nodded along with him. "Flowers, okay, you know, definitely good idea." Another sip of his beer. "But _ideally_ , you should try to figure out why you guys fought back there."

Fox glared in his general direction. "You some sort of shrink now? Couples therapist?"

Sun snorted. "Nah, man, but I've fucked up enough relationships to figure a few things out, you know?

Fox sighed, then rested his palms on the counter. "Sure. I mean, what do I have to lose at this point?"

"Okay, okay - stop right there. Let's get you into the right headspace. What _do_ you have to lose?"

"Velvet Scarlatina." He paused. "My girlfriend."

"Good, good, let's get a bit more specific." Sun mimed something with his hands. "I mean… keep going. What's special about Velvet?"

"I don't know," Fox groaned. "She's… nice."

"Velvet's nice to you, and that's it? Shit, man."

"What do you want me to say?"

"Let me give you a hint - as someone with two working eyes, if I wasn't happily monogamous I would _totally_ be chasing those buns."

" _Obviously_ I think she's pretty."

"And how do _you_ know?" asked Sun, poking him in the forehead. Fox tried to bat him away, but the finger was already gone.

"I've felt her face," Fox answered. "She has… nice cheekbones. And nice lips. And cute little eyebrows." He smiled faintly at that. "And her skin's soft and her hair is smooth and her legs go on forever…"

He stared up at the ceiling.

"That's the easy part. Now keep going," said Sun, encouragingly.

"She's… _caring_. She always thinks about other people. She likes my sense of humor. And, _fuck_ , that accent. I could listen to her read a phone book."

"Okay, great. So… do you think she's dating you out of pity?"

"Not really," answered Fox with a sigh.

"Not _really_?"

"I mean _no_ ," amended Fox. He felt around for a coaster. "She doesn't care that I'm blind." He found what he was searching for - the cheap, disposable kind - and began spinning it like a top.

"See, you kinda said the exact opposite thing back at the restaurant. So can you get why I'm confused?"

Fox slapped the coaster flat. "Because she _could_ be doing it out of pity," Fox said, exacerbation creeping into his voice. "No, I mean, not _Velvet_ but… _people_. In general. Once the novelty of dating a _freak_ wears off all you're left with is a shitty boyfriend who can't cook for you."

"Let me give you some free advice - I _assure_ you Velvet is not dating you because she's ugly and only a blind guy could love her. _Lotta_ people might hate Faunus but I could make a list long as my arm of dudes who think she's the hottest chick on campus. You know, with the ears and all. Like no offense but she could do _way_ better if she was just looking for someone to stuff inside her."

Fox growled. "I'd _really_ appreciate it if you didn't refer to my - to Velvet, that way."

He heard Sun shuffle awkwardly in his seat. "You're right man, sorry. I kind of get too used to trash-talking with my team."

"And I'm not dating her for the novelty, or because of some Faunus fetish."

"Didn't think you were, man. But do you think Velvet's just dating you so she can scratch one off her bucket list? 'Bang a blind dude?', right above 'have a threesome with twin brothers?"

"No, not Velvet, but I mean… I mean-"

"- _people in general_. Yeah, I hear you." Sun swallowed another mouthful of beer. Given that both his hands were tapping the bar counter, he must have been holding the glass with his tail.

They sat in silence for a minute, Fox idly listening to the sports game on TV. Team Slipspace had apparently scored an upset win against the Harvest Kings, for whatever that was worth. Professional sports had never really interested him.

"So I think your problem," began Sun, watching Fox carefully, "is that the world sucks." Fox was motionless for several seconds, before nodding, faintly. "And I agree with you one-hundred percent man. I mean, you've got racist humans… White Fang terrorists … self-hating Faunus … all around criminal psychopaths…" His palms bounced against the counter. "You kind of get used to people just _sucking_ after a while."

"Velvet's different," murmured Fox.

Sun tilted his head back, as if peering into the Heavens. "Merciful Dust, _yes_ , that is the point I was getting at!" He slapped Fox on the back. "You've just got a lifetime of experience working _against_ you. You know, all those instincts telling you to be careful, or whatever. Except this time your reflexes are just _wrong_."

Fox stood up from the barstool. "So… you going to make this right?" asked Sun.

Fox nodded. He reached into his wallet and thumbed through the notes of lien, feeling the small bumps denoting their value. He slapped one on the counter. "For the drinks," he said. "And the therapy."

* * *

The dorm was empty when he returned. That wasn't surprising.

_First New Voicemail:_

' _Hey Fox, it's Coco. I ran into Velvs by the caf. Anyways, I think I have some study session thing tonight so I probably won't be back to the room anytime soon._ Could _turn out to be an all-nighter._ '

Fox grimaced a little at that. Bad news was - Coco knew. Even if Velvet hadn't breathed a word she'd no doubt have deduced what happened with that leader's intuition of hers. Good news was - she was giving them the room to talk things out in privacy. Or at least, giving _him_ the room.

_Second New Voicemail:_

_'This is Yatsu. Professor Goodwitch was looking for someone to supervise a group of first-years camping out by the cliffs tonight, so I volunteered. See you tomorrow._ " There was a pause, dead air filling the recording. " _Let me know if you want to talk about anything._ "

Alright, his teammates were definitely conspiring against them now. Great.

Fox thumbed through his Scroll, finding the unread text message an earlier vibration had alerted him to. Over the years he'd made extensive modifications to his Scroll to make it more accessible, but navigating anywhere still took longer than he would have liked. 

" _Text message received at three-oh-two p-m_ ," chirped the vaguely-feminine electronic voice of his scroll, " _from Velvet Scarlat_." It always chopped off the last few letters of her name.

" _Hello Fox. I'm sorry I ran out on you at lunch_." His stomach clenched. It wasn't something _she_ should be apologizing for. " _If you would like to talk I will be back at the room late this evening._ "

Fox snapped his Scroll closed and leaned back on his bed. More mixed news. Good news was that Velvet hadn't chucked his stuff out the window, that she still wanted to talk. Still, he couldn't help but be saddened by the text. His teammates almost always sent him audio recordings in lieu of texts, just so he could hear their voices instead of the shitty, pre-loaded electronic one. Velvet hadn't been up for that, it seemed.

His Scroll vibrated, informing him that it was 4:10 PM. He sighed. Plenty of time to stew.

* * *

He ended up skipping the flowers. Flowers were for occasions where you were begging forgiveness but _also_ felt reasonably confident that forgiveness would be granted. If Velvet dumped him like a bag of rocks they'd be stuck with the awkwardness of an unwanted bouquet. No need to sully roses by association.

So Fox ended up killing time. He'd had a chapter of his textbook digitally scanned and read aloud by his Scroll, and after twenty minutes he realized he couldn't remember a single word. He found a rubber ball and bounced it off the wall, an old exercise regimen for refining his accuracy. He spent a lot of time chasing said ball down. He ended up just lying in his bed, listening to the footfalls in the corridor and waiting for the moment that a pair of feet would come to a halt at his door…

The sound of the door being unlocked caused him to bolt upright - he hadn't dozed off, but slipped into an unthinking trance where the outside world was dead to him. He scrambled to his feet, his chest tightening as he heard Velvet's unmistakable footsteps on the floor, the sound of her backpack being slung off her shoulders.

"Hello, Fox," greeted Velvet, her words soft and subdued. She crossed to the opposite side of the room from him, unzipping her bag and dropping textbooks onto a table.

"Velvet…hi," Fox stammered out, the speech he'd mentally rehearsed evaporating in a heartbeat. They spent the better part of a minute in silence, Velvet methodically extracting her school supplies and placing them in their proper places.

"What were you doing this afternoon?" she finally asked, just a hint of weariness in her voice as she leaned herself against the wall.

"Went drinking with Sun," Fox answered, shrugging slightly. "Spent some time talking at a bar."

Velvet heard the cue in his words. "Talking about what?"

"A lot of things," replied Fox, his own nervousness forcing him to take a circuitous approach. "Blake. Sports. The Vytal Tournament." He paused. " _You_."

He heard her foot scuff against the floor, her whole body nervously shuffling in place. "What about me?" she asked, her voice a barely-audible whisper.

"He helped me put words to a lot of thoughts that have just been kind of… bouncing around in my head. What I think about you."

He heard the wall _creek_ faintly as Velvet stopped leaning on it. "And?"

Fox swallowed.

"You snore."

Velvet took a half-step back, her heel colliding with the wall behind her. " _What_?"

"You snore," Fox repeated. "And you chew on things noisily when you're bored. And whatever soap or deodorant you're using doesn't do much to mask your scent."

"Fox, I don't know what you're trying to say-"

"And I love those things about you." Whatever words Velvet had been preparing died in her throat. "And I love that you're kind and thoughtful, and that you like my sense of humor, and that you fit into my arms when I'm kissing you, and… and…"

_Remember that time we got launched off a cliff?_

"And… And I love you."

"Fox," Velvet's hand was over her mouth, muffling the word a little. He took a few cautious steps towards her.

"And I mean… it's okay if you don't feel the same way. We'll just go back to how things were a few months ago. I'll explain everything to Coco for you. And I mean I wouldn't blame you, I was in a bad mood and used that as an excuse to lash out at you-"

He blinked, and her lips were pressed against his.

"Of _course_ I love you," replied Velvet, squeezing him so hard that he felt it in his vertebrae. "I don't want to leave you." He could feel her stifle a sob, as she glimpsed a very possible future where their incompatibilities drove them apart.

His hand found her hair, stroking it gently, as she buried her face in his chest. Their emotions were still too raw, too volatile. As strong as their relationship had grown Fox was petrified that one wrong word would cause it to shatter like glass.

"We _do_ need to talk, though" said Velvet, parting from him after what felt like an eternity. She took a deep sip from a tall glass of water that had been resting on her nightstand. "I need to know… if we can make this work. I'd rather figure that out _now_ \- one way or another - than pretend nothing ever happened until we just _can't_ anymore."

Fox nodded, understandingly and remorsefully. "I know it's too late, but I'm sorry about what I said in town."

"It's never too late," said Velvet, softly. "And thank you for apologizing. I know you mean it. But I don't blame you for what happened."

"You don't?"

She shook her head. "No more than you should blame me for not liking large crowds of humans." She felt his arm, his scars "I know that it's not easy to… to go against a lifetime of instincts and habits. But…"

"But we didn't sign up to me Huntsmen because it was easy, right?" Fox concluded.

"Nothing worthwhile ever is," murmured Velvet in agreement. "But if we _do_ have problems, then I want us to face them with our eyes wide open." She winced slightly at her choice of words. "But I need you to know that I love you for who you _are_. That I'm not dating you out of pity. And I need you to _believe_ that."

Fox nodded, pulling her in for a kiss. "I believe," he whispered in her ear, as he felt her chest rise and fall in his arms. He guided them to the bed, Velvet resting easily in his lap.

And he _did_ believe, too. He couldn't _not_ , not with her in his arms only hours after he'd insulted her in front of her friends. _Love_ , it seemed, was the only possible explanation.

"And you?" Fox asked. "Do you ever think I love you just because I can't get anyone else?"

"The thought crossed my mind," mumbled Velvet. A thought that had filled her with shame; voicing it literally _pained_ her. But she truly believed that complete honesty was the best foundation for a relationship, as uncomfortable as it may sometimes be.

"And?"

"Well… you've never been one to take the low-hanging fruit," Velvet said, struggling to articulate her thoughts. She shuffled a little in his lap. "Also…I talked to Coco right after we started dating. She told me about the time you turned her down. When we were celebrating after first-year exams."

He scowled. "Coco has a big mouth."

Velvet caught the absence of a denial. "So why did you?"

"Turn her down?" Fox let out a sigh. His own explanation sounded stupid in his head. "She was buzzed, and looking for a thrill. Her heart's in the right place but… I needed something more."

"Still, Fox… you weren't tempted?"

"Of course I was," he said, but he blushed as he spoke. "And I'm sure it would have been great. But then what happens the day after? What if she regretted having a one-night stand with someone she has to work with for years? What if she was drunker than I could tell and wouldn't have done so in her right mind?"

"Does that sound like Coco to you?" asked Velvet, just a little teasingly.

"No," Fox conceded. "But I needed to be sure."

Velvet kissed him. "You could have had me weeks ago, if you wanted. After the striptease prank." She reddened. "I don't think you missed what was I was offering."

He kissed her back. "And I appreciated the offer. But all the same I'd rather not have a relationship based on guilt."

"And there's the answer to your question," said Velvet, definitively. "If all you cared about was getting laid, you're doing a remarkable job of self-sabotaging."

"So that's it?" he asked, gently guiding her head to the pillow. "Our problems are solved?"

"Oh, _definitely_ ," replied Velvet, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "That is _certainly_ going to be the last time we _ever_ have relationship issues."

"Ah, that's a relief," Fox answered, nonplussed, as he pulled her in for a kiss. "One was enough."

"Mm-hm," said Velvet, around a mouthful of his ear. "Instead of fighting, now we'll just do what all couples do: become increasingly passive-aggressive until we can barely conceal our festering hatred for one another."

Fox's heart skipped a beat, before he caught her giggle. " _Maidens_ , Velvet, don't scare me like that."

"I think your sense of humor is rubbing off on me," she teased in response. "Anyways, expect me to start moving your clothes into different drawers in the name of 'reorganizing my life'."

Velvet slid atop him, her hands keeping his pinned to the bed.

"Oh, speaking of Coco," said Fox, causing Velvet to tilt her head. "When she told you about the time I turned her down, did she mention that she said she was game for a threesome?"

"Uh-huh," said Velvet. She nibbled his ear.

"Just, you know, in case the situation presented itself. She said something about 'strengthening the team dynamic'."

Velvet bit down on his earlobe, hard enough for Fox to wince in pain. "You haven't made it to third base and already you're fantasizing about bringing in another woman?" chided Velvet, drawing herself up atop his chest. "Like I said: _remarkable_ self-sabotage."

She slid out of her shirt, Fox's hands finding their way to her ribcage. "I'm done being a smart-ass," he said, meekly.

"I doubt it," replied Velvet, smiling as she spoke. She leaned over him, brown hairs floating just above his face. "So the only quest remaining is… lights on or off?"

"Give me a minute to think about it," Fox answered, wryly. He _could_ tell the difference, dimly, but he doubted he'd care.

She laughed and hopped off him, double-checking the lock on the door. "Mind if I put some music on? For the neighbors?" Fox shook his head.

 _I was cold in the dark_  
_It was empty in my life_  
_From the outside it looked so bright_  
_But nothing felt right... to me_

She climbed onto her bed, her boyfriend already topless. Her hands found his chest… traced the lines of his collarbone…

_Like a sky with no sun_  
_Like a night that has no day_  
_My heart was eclipsed by the dark_  
_Then something changed_

His hand slipped around her back, the gentlest of pressures beckoning her to him. She hunched over him, a knee on either side of his hips, her lips wrestling for kisses against his…

_I saw a little ray of light come through_  
_The tiniest of sparks came into view_  
_And then_  
_You made me hope again_

She fell flat atop him, eagerly wrapping her legs around his own. Their chests were pressed together, his fingers grasping handfuls of her hair…

_I've been watching you, helping you_  
_Wishing that you'd see_  
_That the girl you've been waiting so long for could be me_

They rolled over on the mattress, Fox coming to rest above Velvet. Their bodies were already sticky with sweat, breaths labored from exertion and anticipation…

_Now - I've never been in love_  
_But I think this is it_  
_It might seem like a school girl crush_  
_But I have to admit_

He dove for neck, lips pressing a forceful pattern against her skin. Even her sweat smelled heavenly…

_I wanna take a chance and make you see_  
_I think that you're the one who'll rescue me_  
_This time_  
_You're finally gonna see you should be mine_

Her nails dug into his back, as if holding on for dear life.

_But baby, it's time to make up your mind_  
_I think that tonight is when our stars align_  
_Honey, it's time to leave the doubt behind_  
_Take my hand 'cause you and I are gonna shine_  


An eternity later they succumbed to sleep, cast in the pallor of moonlight, entwined in each other's arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fin.
> 
> Well, this is the closest to a conventional romance story I think I’ve ever written, so feedback is hugely longed for. As usual, I'm going to feel like I should have done it better ~~in about five minutes.~~ within the minute of posting it.
> 
> I felt like Fox’s and Velvet’s conversation was one they were going to _eventually_ have to have. Doubt can be an incredibly destructive force in a relationship, and both of them have a lot of ingrained skepticism to overcome. It might be difficult, but honesty is a powerful counter-force, and by extension, so is trust. Hopefully enough to get two weary souls to take the next step…
> 
> (Then again it’s been two years since I dated anyone, so take my words with a grain of salt).
> 
> I was going for a sense of catharsis and relief. Hopefully the tension of the previous chapter _worked_ , even if you reasonably guessed the ultimate resolution. Happiness is all the sweeter after a dash of bitter, or so I’ve been told. Let me know if it worked.
> 
> No points for noticing that the song being played is _[Shine](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOsGuSezvfk)_ , which I have to guiltily admit is one of my all-time _RWBY_ favorites. I know it’s primarily an Arkos song, but (a) it suits Fox and Velvet surprisingly well, at least in my headcanon and (b) it’s not like that ship needs it anymore. [Please refer to aforementioned disintegrated remains of Best Girl]. Sun’s dialogue was perhaps too-heavily colored by me listening to voice actor Michael Jones in an Achievement Hunter context.
> 
> Who knows, maybe Fox will get some dialogue next Volume…


End file.
